My QTH is in the south-eastern tip of Portugal; the Atlantic Ocean coast is 7 km south from here. The Guadiana river, that marks the border between Portugal and Spain, can be seen from the shack in easterly direction on a clear day. The southern part of Portugal is a district with capital Faro and is called the Algarve, a name that stems from Arabic and the region's rich and moving history. My QTH is within the borders of the municipality Tavira. The city Tavira itself is very pitoresque and worth your visit. This part of the Algarve has beautiful and wide sandy beaches. The local cuisine specializes in a wide variety of sea food, fowl, and iberic 'black' pork. Although there is not a large production quantity-wise, the Algarve also produces some excellent wines. Moderation is called for as the sugary grapes tend to yield high percentages of alcohol!

My activity as a radio amateur started in 1969 at the age of 17 in the Netherlands where I operated with the call PA0MSM. At he age of 51 my family emigrated to Portugal. I became active as CT1IQI. I like making QSOs in cw and ssb. Have been using a vertical antenna, 5 meter tall, but am in the process of installing a beam antenna for 20-10 m. bands. A long wire antenna, 40 meter long, serves 40 and 80, be the latter band suffers a bit from adsl noise emitted by the telephone wiring that serves the neighbourhood.

Above you see the latest antenna addition. The beam antenna is made as a kit by the spanish company 'Eantenna' (eantenna.es). Made of fine quality aluminium and stainless steel materials.

They call it the '59+' and it comprises 10 elements. Six of the elements form a log-periodic antenna for all the bands from 20-10 m. To get some extra gain on the 20, 17, and 15 m. bands for each of those one yagi type reflector has been added behind the six log-periodic elements. For the 10 m. band a director is present in front of the log-periodic system. There are no moving parts and it has has no traps in its elements.

The lattice type tower has three triangular telescopic sections that can be extended to 12 m. It stands on a 2 x 2 x 0.5 m3 concrete base. When in its lowest position the set of three sections can pivot to horizontal via a support structure that holds the tower just above the centre of the height. I have used that to actually assemble the antenna without having to hoist the whole antenna to the top of the mast. First mounted the boom, then mounted half of all elements, than returned the tower to vertical, then rotated the antenna by 180 degrees, than tilted the tower, and then mounted the other half of the elements and log-periodic feed system. The rotor is by Spid and the RAK type; it is strong and silent.

The beam while being assembled:

Here a photo of the vertical, looking in south-easterly direction. The QTH is at 200 meter altitude.

The ladder line that feeds the long wire can be seen here: The trees in the front are rubber trees.